FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 1st, 2014

NO. 8 NOTRE DAME VS. NO. 13 STANFORD THIS SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock and Kathryn Tappen to Call Game

Notre Dame Pre-Game Show Countdown To Kickoff Begins at 3 p.m. ET Live on NBC with Liam McHugh, Doug Flutie and Hines Ward

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 1, 2014 – The No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish aim to remain unbeaten this season with a victory against the No. 13 Stanford Cardinal this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage begins with Countdown to Kickoff, NBC Sports Group’s Notre Dame pre-game show, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

Saturday’s showdown featuring No. 8 Notre Dame (4-0) and No. 13 Stanford (3-1) marks the 18th consecutive season that the two teams have met, dating back to 1997. Notre Dame boasts an 18-10 series edge all-time, despite victories from Stanford in four of the previous five meetings, including the Cardinal’s 27-20 win last season. Saturday’s clash also marks the fourth consecutive year that both Notre Dame and Stanford will be ranked heading into the game, and in each of those instances, at least one team has been ranked in the Top 10.

The rivalry began in with the 1924 Rose Bowl, when Knute Rockne’s Fighting Irish defeated Pop Warner’s Stanford team 27-10 for their first ever national title. Since 1989, the winner of the game has been awarded the Legends Trophy, made of an Irish crystal glass and California redwood base.

Notre Dame enters Saturday’s game following a 31-15 victory over Syracuse last weekend, while Stanford comes into the game after a 20-13 win against Washington.

Dan Hicks (@DanHicksNBC), NBC Sports Group’s longtime and critically-acclaimed golf and Olympic commentator, calls Saturday’s game alongside Emmy Award-nominated analyst Mike Mayock and sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen (@KathrynTappen).

Liam McHugh (@liam_mchugh) will host Countdown To Kickoff at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, on-site at Notre Dame Stadium. He will be joined by 1984 Heisman Trophy Winner Doug Flutie (@DougFlutie) and two-time Super Bowl champion Hines Ward (@MVP86HinesWard). McHugh, Flutie and Ward will also manage half-time coverage for the broadcast.  Countdown To Kickoff will also feature a sit-down interview between Kathryn Tappen and Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson.

In addition to his studio duties, Flutie will also provide analysis from the sidelines during the game, analyzing specific matchups and key plays from his unique perspective.

 

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA ONLINE & APP: NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream all Notre Dame Football home games.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

NBC Sports Live Extra online will feature a simulcast of the broadcast feed in full HD quality plus one additional online-only bonus camera. The video player will include picture-in-picture capability and full DVR functionality, allowing the user to pause the live video and even review plays in “slo-mo.”

Sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen will provide live in-game tweets from the sideline from @NDonNBC on Twitter. Additionally, fans can watch in-game highlights, live coverage of the Notre Dame and visiting teams’ bands at halftime, as well as live postgame footage that will include head coach Brian Kelly’s press conference.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL ON NBC

Following this Saturday’s game against Stanford, NBC Sports Group’s coverage of Notre Dame football continues Saturday, Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC, when the Fighting Irish host North Carolina Tar Heels.

 

The following is the NBC Sports Group 2014 Notre Dame Football schedule (all times ET)

 

Date Opponent Pre-Game Network Game Time Network
Saturday, Oct. 4 Stanford 3 p.m. NBC 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Oct. 11 North Carolina 3 p.m. NBC 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Nov 15 Northwestern 3 p.m. NBC 3:30 p.m. NBC
Saturday, Nov 22 Louisville 3 p.m. NBC 3:30 p.m. NBC

 

 

NBCSPORTS.com

NBCSports.com will again continue its Notre Dame Football coverage though its Notre Dame Central section. Notre Dame will also be featured within NBC Sports Talk with its popular Inside The Irish blog written by Notre Dame Football insider Keith Arnold.

COMCAST SPORTSNET CHICAGO

For the second-straight year, Comcast SportsNet Chicago will continue its expanded coverage of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football via its partnership with NBC Sports by providing additional content to help power NBCSports.com’s popular Notre Dame Central section (http://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/notre-dame-central).  Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s Notre Dame Football “Insider” JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) from CSNChicago.com, will serve as the primary beat reporter in providing up-to-the-minute Fighting Irish news and analysis, columns, game previews/recaps, interviews and much more.

SAME DAY HOME GAME REPLAYS – Beginning with the team’s home/season opener on Saturday, August 30 vs. Rice, Comcast SportsNet Chicago will provide a same day replay of every Notre Dame home game produced by NBC Sports with the Aug. 30 replay scheduled to air at 11 p.m. CT.  Additional home game replays airing on Comcast SportsNet this season include games against Michigan (Sept. 6 at 1 a.m.), Purdue (Sept. 13 at 1 a.m.), Stanford (Oct. 4), North Carolina (Oct. 11), Northwestern (Nov. 15) and Louisville (Nov. 22). (NOTE: Replay airings to regularly take place on these Saturdays at 11 p.m.; fans are urged to consult CSNChicago.com for exact air times).

HEAD COACH BRIAN KELLY’s WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE – CSNChicago.com will provide a live stream of Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly’s weekly press conference, as he will address the prior weekend’s game, along with detailing his game plan against the team’s upcoming opponent.  Coach Kelly’s weekly press conference, which will take place from Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., will be live streamed every Tuesday throughout the season at 11 a.m.

“INSIDE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL” w/BRIAN KELLY – Once again, Comcast SportsNet will be the local TV home for “Inside Notre Dame Football” with Head Coach Brian Kelly this season.  The weekly, half-hour show will feature key highlights, along with detailed discussion & analysis regarding the team’s previous game and an X’s and O’s preview of their upcoming opponent.  “Inside ND Football” will make its 2014 season premiere on Tuesday, September 2 in its regular 5 p.m. CT time slot.  (NOTE: This Tuesday afternoon program may air on occasion at 4:30 p.m. CT should there be live pro event airing at 6 p.m. that evening). Fans can follow Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s @CSNIrish Twitter handle for the very latest Fighting Irish news and updates 24/7.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–